"DIY" Teeth Straightening: the Magic Alternative to Braces? Rubber Bands and 3-D printed trays: Seriously...Seriously dangerous!

 

"DIY" Teeth Straightening: the Magic Alternative to Braces? Rubber Bands and 3-D printed trays: Seriously?...Seriously dangerous!

By: Taylor

         Most orthodontic patients want braces to improve their smiles.  Sure, getting a healthy bite is important but more than anything, they want to feel more confident about the way they look.  Braces can be expensive though and can take 1-2 years depending on the case.  Have you heard about a scary trend of using a tiny hair elastic that anyone could purchase by the hundreds at a drug store to close spaces without braces though?
          Let's admit it: social media is more effective in today's socitey than that local newspaper that gets dropped off to your house on Sunday's. There are hundreds of different sites and apps at the tips of our fingers that help connect information or people in different ways such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and last but not least, Pintrest. Pintrest is great for creative ideas for hair, makup and delicious recipes but is it really the answer to all of our orthodontic questions? Recently, posts on Pinterest have been highlighting how someone can use a hair elastic to close those little spaces between our front teeth!   But at what cost and risk?
          What most people don't realize is the damage these at-home remedies have on their teeth. The American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics issued a consumer alert about the use of elastic bands by non-orthodontists to close gaps in teeth which stated that while there are some people that have done this on their own with little or no harm done to the teeth, the rubber band can "slide into the soft tissues, where it is difficult, if not impossible, to retrieve it, then continue along the length the roots, destroying the periodontal attachment and produce inflammation". They then stated that "the teeth then extrude, the crowns of the teeth fan out as the roots are pulled together, the teeth become increasingly mobile" which can lead to tooth loss. I think we can all agree that the tiny space is NOT worth losing your teeth over. Let's leave the teeth-straightening to the professionals.

          Here are some examples of what people attempt vs what really happens: Warning...some of the photos are graphic:

We recently had a patient come into our Barberton office requesting to have her space closed.  She attempted to close the space on her own with a hair tie and showed us a picture she took on her cell phone of her own mouth.  Notice in the picture how the gums are red and swollen.  The rubber band was trapped under her gums.  Luckily she sought the services of a specialist and corrected the problem before a serious issue occurred.  Believe it or not, this stuff is happening in Akron Ohio. 

What about 3-D printed retainers to move your teeth? Yup, someone has tried it.  See the link below for the article: http://makezine.com/2016/03/20/can-you-fix-your-own-teeth-with-3d-printed-retainers/

 

Our suggestion, if you want your teeth straightened, see an orthodontist.  As orthodontist has 6-7 years of advanced education after 4 years of college.  We are the professionals and the easiest and cheapest way out is rarely the best.  If you live in the Akron Ohio area, don't try to do it yourself at home.  Give us a call to discuss your needs and schedule a complimentary consultation.

What's the point of these rubber bands? Do I really have to wear them all the time? What if I double up at night?

Many people who go through orthodontic treatment are required to wear elastics or rubber bands toward the end of their braces.  Elastics are used to help correct a patient's bite into an ideal position.  Whether you are in braces or Invisalign, the importance of elastics is essential. 

At our Akron orthodontic office, Dr. Barnett and Team work tirelessly on patient education to make this point about cooperation clear.  Without a patient doing the work, the end will never be in sight. 

There are different circumstances that could require the use of elastics; such as, an overbite, an underbite, or a crossbite.  Elastics are connected directly onto the brackets on a specialized hook designed to secure the rubber band in place.  They connect from top to bottom.  The pull of the rubber bands helps to move the teeth into the correct positions by stimulating the cells in the bone surrounding the teeth; therefore, the teeth then shift into the new correct position.  This is only successful when the elastics are worn full time, about 21-22 hours a day.  Part time cooperation will never make progress. As the bone begins the process of changing but when not worn consistently, it always has to “begin again.”  Thus no progress is made.

In today’s busy times, we find more and more people struggling with cooperation.  Whether it is forgetting after a meal to replace them, sports or activities that interfere, or just the "annoyance" of wearing rubber bands in general, some people just can't seem to commit.  Patients think that "doubling-up" on elastics will suffice; some will wear two elastics on each side at bed time and wear nothing during the day.  As brilliant as this seems, it does not work.  The teeth need constant light pressure in order to move.     

          Commonly we hear kids say they forget to put them in after lunch.  If you struggle with this, try setting an alarm/reminder on your cell phone to go off after lunch. Another idea is to keep a bag of elastics as a bookmark in your textbook for the first class after lunch. You can also try placing the rubber bands on a finger while snacking.

          If you really cannot commit to the cooperation, talk with your orthodontist about a non-compliant approach to bite correction.  We use a lot of “fixed” appliances to correct bites.  Ultimately though, each individual patient is in charge of his or her future.  Take some ownership to the process and achieve that awesome result!

---->CHECK OUT THIS FUNNY CLIP WE HAD ONE OF PATIENTS MAKE<---- br="">

 

What's the difference? Dentist vs. orthodontist?

Click here for an article posted on globalnews.com-see Dr. Barnett's Blog below:

We get questions a lot from patients about the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist.  Well, to put it simply, most dentists are not orthodontists but all orthodontists are dentists.  There are almost 200,000 dental graduates practicing some form of dentistry in the United States and only about 10,000 of them are orthodontists.  While dentists can do orthodontic work, they cannot call themselves "orthodontists" as they have not completed a 2-3 year residency beyond dental school. This specialized training teaches an orthodontist the art and science of tooth movement beyond what they learn in a basic 4-year dental school. 

While some dentists may perform adequate orthodontic work, there is no doubt that in the medical/dental world, specialized training is highly valued.  Dr. Barnett completed his residency at Boston Univeristy from 2003-2005.  He trained under world renowned orthodontists as he developed his skills before returning to the Akron, Ohio area to a limited practice of Orthodontics.  We treat both adults and children and are proud of our work and exceptional customer service. 

Unfortunately, the linked article shows an extreme example of someone who did not understand the person doing her braces was not an orthodontist and had a bad experience.  Make sure you do your research on the person potentially doing your orthodontic treatment. 

Akron Organization Donates $160,000 Annually for Braces...

Akron's Barnett Orthodontics is proud to partner with The Beacon Journal Charity Fund to provide braces to area families whom otherwise could not afford orthodontic treatment. 

Accepting a significantly reduced fee, Barnett Orthodontics (along with other area practitioners) provide the orthodontic treatment funded by the Charity Fund.  This partnership has allowed over 500 children in the past 10 years to get an amazing smile and healthy bite--thus increasing their self-esteem and self-worth by giving them a smile they can be proud of.   

The Beacon Journal Charity Fund was set up to make orthodontic services available to families with teens age 13 to 18 who reside in the five-county circulation area of the Akron Beacon Journal. These families don’t earn enough to pay for braces, but earn too much to be eligible for government aid. The fund fills the gap to provide orthodontics to a population which would otherwise have to go without. 

 Please let us know if you'd like more information on eligibility and or making donations to this great fund.

Dentists and Orthodontists Need to Work Together

Seeing your dentist every six months is an important part of any orthodontic treatment. Sometimes, it makes the difference in the final aesthetics of the smile.

There's nothing more gratifying than taking off someone's braces and seeing them smile. It's truly an amazing moment and we feel lucky to get to experience it daily at Barnett Orthodontics. Smile after smile, there's nothing better.

There are some patients however, who as part of their treatment plan, don't get that instant gratification the day their braces are removed. Instead, they need to wait on their dentist to cosmetically alter their teeth now that they have been straightened. These cases, require multiple disciplines of dentistry to work together to obtain an ideal result. While often more complicated to work on, it's sometimes even more gratifying to see the final result.

Jeff B's teeth are a great example of one such case. Congratulations on finishing your treatment! What a change...and a special thanks to Dr. Tim Cox for doing an amazing job on the cosmetic dentistry to fix the two front teeth.

Making Akron area patients' smile is a TEAM effort.

Instant Orthodontics? Staight teeth in 6 Months???

Recently I had a patient ask me about an advertisement promising to treat ANYONE with braces in only SIX months. As the old saying goes, if it sounds unbelievable, then it probably is. I suppose it's not a totally false statement, it's just an incomplete promise, an incomplete result and very misleading.

The truth of the matter is that almost anyone's teeth can be improved or straightened rather quickly--in about six months. But to perfect the alignment and to correct the bite, it takes considerably longer. Unfortunately, across the US and on-line (not in Akron Ohio) some individuals are promoting their six month braces as a better option than conventional orthodontic treatment. They promise it is more comfortable, more aesthetic, healthier and most importantly to the consumer, FASTER.

Wanna get rich quick, want to lose tons of weight, regrow all your hair, make money from the comfort of your own home, have braces on your teeth for as little as six months...get the point.

Make sure you're an educated consumer. Do your research and chose wisely.

Extreme Couponing for Braces?

Have you seen the new hit TV show on TLC called Extreme Couponing? It's a documentary series where coupon-clippers 'nickel and dime' their way to outrageous savings, sometimes even FREE cartloads of groceries!

Just like most of you, I get those neighborhood "Value Coupon" packets in the mail with discounts to local carpet cleaners, restaurants, tanning studios, window washers. etc. Extreme couponing, here we come, right?

Not exactly. Usually I just throw the packets away but today I leafed through the coupons and was surprised to find an orthodontist advertising a very LOW 'fixed-fee' for braces. The fee was almost $1000 less than the average cost of orthodontic treatment in Akron Ohio. How could they afford to provide the highest quality of care and have such a low fee? Our office has always tried to keep fees as reasonable as possible. We know orthodontics is a significant expense for most families. It just didn't make sense that someone could "coupon" themselves down to such a low fee.

As one would expect, there was a catch.

The fixed fee for braces did not include the use of any appliances beyond the braces. Thus, there are hidden fees beyond the advertised price. It's kind of a "bait and switch" approach to get you in the door. Is it illegal? No. It's just misleading as you end of paying for expanders, retainers, etc bringing the cost of the treatment up to the local average.

At Barnett Orthodontics, there's no confusion about what the fee covers. There are no additional charges and no hidden fees. No "nickel and diming".

Come and see what people are talking about. We are proud to say, that what you see is what you get. Integrity. Quality care at an affordable cost. No coupon necessary.